Embrace
by RunFarAwayWithMe
Summary: Chloe is an upbeat girl on the outside, but only her best friend Aubrey knows what happens behind closed doors. With the arrival of Beca, Chloe learns that it could be time to let someone else in. But with a traumatic event in her past that keeps fighting it's way back to her future, it's hard for Chloe to relax into an intimate embrace and accept that Beca truly loves her.
1. Chapter 1

The taxi pulled up outside Barden University and Beca Mitchell looked out the window, trying to refrain from rolling her eyes or making any sarcastic comment. She had promised her dad that she would give college life a try, so she was at least going to wait until she was inside to start criticising it. All around her were students either saying tearful goodbyes to their parents or not being able to get away fast enough. The building itself didn't look too bad; it was huge, so hopefully that meant there was a good chance of becoming invisible against the crowds. From what her dad had told her you were only somebody in Barden if you really excelled at something which was great news for Beca. It wasn't that she didn't excel at things; she just wasn't the type of person to stick her essays up on the fridge or put her name forward for awards.

"Er… Miss? We're here," the taxi driver cleared his throat awkwardly from the front of the car. "I can see that," Beca replied. She took in a deep breath and opened the door, not appreciating the sudden rush of sound that surrounded her. Annoying chatter and squeals from friends reuniting after summer break pierced her eardrums, making the walk to get her equipment even more urgent. She couldn't wait to get put her headphones on and fill her ears with music. The driver tried to help but she waved him away after giving him some cash for the ride. As she loaded all of her bags onto the cart, her attention was drawn to the family standing by the car next to her. She wasn't exactly eavesdropping, but they were talking so loud that it was hard not to hear them.

The mother had a particularly shrill voice and it was apparent that she probably owned three houses in the Hamptons before she was twenty. "Now darling, I don't expect you to call us all year because I know you'll be studying so hard. It's your final year, so you don't have much time for socialising if you want to do well." Her husband stood beside her nodding repetitively, whipped beyond belief. "Yes… I know…" the young girl seemed to repeat those three words over and over, but her mother wasn't listening. "… and no extracurricular activities. I know you love your singing but at the end of the day it won't get you a job. You were part of that group last year, and I think that's why you fell behind. No drinking, although I don't have to tell you that as I know you can't stand the taste of alcohol…"

Beca watched the girl's eyebrow flick up and a smirk play at her lips for half a second at the mention of alcohol, and she couldn't help but laugh and shake her head at the mother's seemingly perfect daughter. As she flung her remaining bag over her shoulder she glanced over at the family one last time, only to see that they had stopped talking and the older woman was staring at her with pursed lips. Evidently they had heard her laugh and were less than impressed, but Beca kept a smile on her face. "Can I help you?" she said unfalteringly. The woman smoothed down her blazer and said stiffly, "I don't appreciate your manner, young lady. Judging by your excessive piercings I can only assume that you are nothing more than a delinquent, jealous of my daughter's success."

"Well," Beca began, making sure to put on a mockingly posh tone, "I'm sure I am jealous of your perfect, tee-total daughter. Let me just stick a pole up my ass and I'm one step closer to being worthy of your presence." She bent her legs in an exaggerated curtsy before grabbing her bags and turning to get her new key from an over-excited usher. "What dorm?" the girl asked with a smile that was unmoving to the point of being creepy. "Er… Baker Hall I think," Beca replied. "Okay! So what you're gonna do is…" But Beca had already stopped listening. She couldn't stop thinking of the redhead behind her and that there was a lot more to her than her mother thought. Beca had already sussed that she drank, but couldn't fight the urge to find out what else she was hiding.

Her hand curled around the luggage cart and she pulled it behind her as she walked over to the dorm she would be living in for the next year. Her first port of call was setting up all of her music equipment, despite the fact that she was majoring in philosophy this year. Kimmy Jin, the new roommate, had already made it crystal clear that she wasn't a sociable character which Beca was more than okay with. She had just begun working on a mix when there was a knock on the door, followed by an incredibly un-funny joke. Beca rolled her eyes and braced herself for the entrance of her father. "It's just your old man making a funny," he joked, walking over to the desk. "Chris Rock everybody. What do you want, dad?"

"I just wanted to check that you got here okay."  
"Well I did. So you can go now."  
"Come on, Becs. I know you would rather be in LA making music but I want you to get a college education first. For free, I might add. I thought we were past this and you were going to give it a go?"  
Before Beca could respond, Kimmy Jin stood up and announced her departure to the activities fair. Beca wasn't one for activities or any form of social participation, but she had an opportunity to escape her dad and she was going to take it. "I'm going to the activities fair with my super good friend, Kimmy Jin," she said and headed out the door without another word, trusting her dad to let himself out.

She walked across the quad and a grin spread across her face when she saw the redhead standing in the middle of the activities fair, evidently enjoying rebellion. Beca looked around to see if there were any other groups worth joining, but apart from Quidditch Club there was nothing particularly interesting. She decided to wander over to the redhead and her friend to see if she could find out anything else about her, but unfortunately they were just trying to recruit new members for a singing group. Beca headed over to various tables, trying to give her father time to get as far away from her dorm as possible before she returned. One sign caught her eye for Barden Internships and she walked over in the hopes of finding a music related job.

Once she had signed up to work at the radio station she headed to a patch of grass where other students were sitting, but isolated herself by a tree with her iPod and closed her eyes. By the time she opened her eyes again, the activities fair was all packed up and most of the students were in their dorms. When music was playing in her ears it wasn't unusual for Beca to lose a few hours like this. She stood up, brushed the grass off herself and began to head back to her laptop and equipment. Maybe after a few weeks at the station she would be able to give some of her mixes to whoever was her new boss and she could get her music played on the college radio. With that thought playing on her mind, she walked back across the quad and only managed to notice a certain redhead when they were inches apart. Neither of them had time to stop themselves walking before crashing into one another, and Beca began mumbling an apology until she realised exactly whom she had bumped into. "Hi," she said with a grin on her face.  
"Hello," the redhead said and extended her hand, "I'm Chloe."

"Beca," she replied, still trying to suppress the eager grin on her face. "So I'm guessing your mothers rules are already out of the window then? Cos I'm pretty sure she said no singing groups."  
"Yeah… Sorry about that by the way, she shouldn't have said anything to you."  
"It's okay, I'm a big girl. By the way I didn't mean it about needing a pole up my ass to talk to you. It was more for your mother's sake that I said it."  
Chloe laughed and said, "Don't worry - I won't hold it against you. So where are you staying?"  
"Baker Hall. I'm just heading there now actually."  
"I'll walk with you – I actually stay in the block next to you. I live with my friend, Aubrey."  
"The blonde from earlier?" Beca asked, keeping it to herself that she was pretty sure that girl had a pole up her ass, even if Chloe didn't.  
"Yep, that's the one."

They spoke for a while longer until they arrived outside Baker Hall and Beca swallowed her fear before saying, "Do you want to go out tonight? I mean, you'd have to pick the place because I have no idea where anything is, but I'd like to take you out."  
"Like on a date?" Chloe said with a teasing gleam in her eyes.  
"No! Not exactly… I mean, sort of. Well yes, but only if-"  
Chloe silenced Beca with a laugh and said, "Yes, Beca. I would like to go on a date with you tonight." She pulled out her phone and entered the information for a new contact before passing the phone over to Beca, watching as she smiled sheepishly as she entered her number before handing it back. "Perfect," Chloe said, "Be at mine for six; I'm in room 503."  
"See you then," Beca replied and walked into Baker Hall. As she walked up the stairs and along the corridor to her dorm room, she couldn't help but feel almost glad to be at Barden. However, she wasn't about to let her dad know that she'd made a friend; as far as he was concerned this year would be a hellish experience for his daughter, and he should feel pangs of guilt every day for sending her there.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Thank you so much for the support I've already received for this story. Please let me know what you think because your reviews honestly make my writing better. Enjoy!**

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Chloe put her key in the door to her flat and walked inside instantly calling Aubrey's name. Eventually the blonde emerged from the bathroom, still drying her wet hair with a towel. "What is it? Did you find some more girls for the Bellas?"  
"No, I've got a date," Chloe replied nervously. She wasn't the kind of person to get nervous. Acapella shows, competitions, class presentations – she had done them all and managed to remain calm. Dating however was a whole other ball game. She managed to tactfully avoid Aubrey's questions of who the date was with, as she already knew that her best friend wasn't too keen on Beca. "What do I do? I have to pick the place, but she's coming here at six! Aubrey that's two hours, and I still don't know what to wear."

The blonde went in to full on control mode, pulling out different outfits for Chloe to try on and somehow managing to keep her calm. By the time she was done, Chloe was wearing a pair of black skinny jeans with a pink top, black boots, and a matching jacket, and they still had fifteen minutes to spare. Aubrey was brushing a red lipstick against her friend's lips when she said softly, "Are you sure you want to wear the jacket? It was thirty degrees earlier." Chloe kept her lips in a pout as Aubrey applied some gloss and said, "I'll be fine." Aubrey raised an eyebrow and glared for a second, before pulling away and saying, "Okay, you're done."

She left it for a few minutes before saying again, "Seriously Chloe, it's really hot out. I'm sure this girl wouldn't mind if you didn't wear a jacket." Chloe shook her head and sighed. She was not ready to have this conversation with her friend, all she wanted was to have a good night out and enjoy herself. "I know you're trying to help, but I don't think it would be a good idea to send her running for the hills on our first date."  
"From what you've told me, I'm sure she's not like that," Aubrey replied. She always worried about her friend. She knew how Chloe could get sometimes, despite her seemingly happy and bubbly exterior. Aubrey was the only person that Chloe had ever let see her cry to the point where she felt that her chest was about to cave in, and as far as the redhead was concerned she was the only person who would ever see that.

At five to six, there was a knock at the door. Aubrey opened it and was shocked to see the alternative girl from earlier standing on her doorstep. She quickly shot Chloe a quizzical look before turning back to the girl and saying politely, "Come in, she's just inside." Beca walked into their room and saw that it was more like an apartment, probably paid for by their rich parents. She looked around and admired the homeliness of the place and the accumulation of three years of memories, strewn across their own living room, kitchen, bathroom, and individual bedrooms. It was like a palace compared to her dorm room shared with Kimmy Jin. "I forgot you said 503," she said awkwardly. "I knocked next door and they got really confused, although I think that was mostly from all the pot I could smell. But then I told them you lived with Aubrey, so they pointed me here."

Chloe laughed, already becoming entranced with the way that Beca spoke. "Come on," she said, "I'll make sure you don't get lost anymore tonight." Aubrey gave her one last reassuring look as they headed out the door and left for their date. They walked down the five flights of stairs and just as they reached the bottom, Beca said, "Where are we going by the way?" Chloe merely tapped one finger against the side of her nose, keeping her mouth firmly shut. "That's not fair!" Beca protested, "I'm supposed to be taking you on a date, yet you're the one organising it."  
"Fine then – let's say that this is me taking you on a date. That just means you have to organise the next one," Chloe said with a smirk.  
"So there's going to be another date? You're very sure of yourself," Beca said with a small laugh as they turned out of the university campus.

"What can I say? I know how to impress a girl and leave her wanting more," the older girl said as a smirk played at her lips. It was only a ten minute walk, and on the way Chloe took the liberty of pointing out a few places that Beca should know about; a club, a restaurant, the supermarket, and a library. Soon after they arrived at a building that wasn't very well signposted, and as they walked in the door Beca realised that she still had no idea where they were. She looked around for some sort of leaflet or poster as Chloe bought two tickets at the reception desk, but was left none the wiser until the redhead returned holding two pairs of roller-skates. It was then that she heard the soft pounding from some music deeper into the building, and her mouth fell open. "You brought me to a roller disco?"

Chloe winked, handed her the skates and said, "I had to guess your size, but I think they should be okay." They headed over to a bench and swapped their shoes for wheels, and Beca clung tightly onto the bench. She handed her trainers to Chloe and said, "Could you take them over to the lockers for me?" Once Chloe had her back turned, Beca tried standing up. She held out her arms to the side and kept her legs bent, fully aware of how stupid and unattractive she looked. Slowly she straightened her legs until she was standing somewhat normally, and then smiled with satisfaction. "You ready?" Chloe asked, gliding over with ease. "Sure, I'll see you out there," Beca replied, knowing the chances of her getting away with hanging behind were slim.

"Can't skate?" Chloe asked.  
"Nope, never done it in my life," Beca answered, only half smiling. "You see, most people just go to the cinema for a date." Chloe laughed and linked their arms together, slowly pulling Beca towards a door. She held one arm out far to the side for balance and didn't take one step, just allowing herself to be dragged to the door. They pushed through it and were hit with the sight of strobe lights and the sound of pounding music, sparking a grin to appear on Beca's face. "Okay, this is seriously cool," she said, forgetting for a moment that she couldn't skate. Chloe tugged them towards the railing surrounding the floor and tried to stifle her laughter as Beca showed resemblance to a new-born kitten trying to figure out how to walk. It took them an entire ten minutes to get around the circuit, and Beca clung onto the railing for dear life the whole way.

"You're too tense," Chloe said, taking the younger girl's hands and prising them away from the rail. Beca scoffed and replied sarcastically, "I wonder why that is."  
"Just relax. Don't make your legs all stiff like that – loosen them up and you'll find it easier." Beca tried to comply, and eventually she stood less like a wooden plank. As her body loosened and became less wood-like her grip on Chloe's hands tightened and damn near cut off circulation. She tried to take a step but her feet just wheeled back and forth the more she tried, and Chloe couldn't control her laughter any more. "I'm sorry," she said unapologetically, "I can't stop thinking of Bambi on ice."

Even Beca had to laugh, but she tried to regain composure as the shaky movements made her less stable on her feet. "Okay, let's do this," Chloe said eventually, still grinning. She skated backwards and pulled Beca along, encouraging her to take more steps instead of gliding. After a solid forty five minutes of work, the two were skating alongside each other. They stayed close to the edge the whole time and Beca's hand frequently flew out to grab onto Chloe if she felt like she was about to fall, but at least she remained upright. Well, most of the time. Eventually they needed to take a break, both of them out of breath and sweating from the amount of effort they were exerting. They grabbed a slushie from the café beside the rink and sat down beneath the air conditioning vent, the cool air acting like an oasis in the desert.

"You must be boiling in your jacket, why don't you take it off?" Beca asked the question that Chloe had hoped to go the whole night without hearing. She considered arguing that she wasn't too hot, but she could feel the sweat gathering on her forehead like little beads of evidence. "There's nowhere to put it, I don't want it getting stolen," she said, and felt relieved when Beca nodded. They sat there talking beneath the air conditioning until they actually started to feel a chill, and then Chloe pulled Beca to her feet again to return to the skating rink. The music blared through the speakers and the lights were flashing as they skated round and round, laughing hysterically every time one of them fell over.

It reached ten o'clock and the music stopped and the house lights came on, cueing everyone to leave. They were still laughing as they handed over their shoes, fighting the crowd of people trying to do the same thing. Once they were back outside and on the pavement, the fresh air and cool concrete was a welcome relief from the claustrophobic atmosphere inside. "I had a really good time tonight," Beca said as they walked back towards Barden. Chloe smiled, feeling proud that she had managed to impress the younger girl.

"Am I allowed to walk you home?" she asked, moving over slightly so that their hands kept brushing together as they walked.  
"I don't think it makes much difference," Beca said, "Our dorms are practically next to one another."  
"Oh it makes a lot of difference," Chloe replied with a smirk.  
"How?"  
"Because if I am walking you home, then I get to kiss you at your door."

A smile spread across Beca's lips and she looked down at the floor, hoping it wasn't obvious that she was blushing profusely. She had to admit – Chloe was good. She knew exactly what to say and how to be smooth, and she had every right to be confident at the start of the date. Instead of coming up with a remark, Beca merely closed the distance between their hands that had been tactfully colliding throughout the past conversation and entwined their fingers together. They walked in this way until they reached Chloe's dorm, and then kept walking until they reached Baker Hall. Beca's room was on the second floor, and as she got out her keys she said, "I would invite you in for fake coffee, but my roommate is kind of antisocial. Plus there is hardly any room in there – I think my room is about the size of your kitchen."

Chloe laughed and tucked a stray hair behind Beca's ear. "That's okay," she said softly, "I've got everything I want right here." Her hand lingered on Beca's cheek and then she pulled her into a soft, slow kiss. From the outside it looked perfectly innocent, but the second their lips connected a multitude of fireworks exploded throughout Beca's whole body with the rocket right near her heart. Chloe brushed her thumb over Beca's mouth where her lips had been only moments ago and said, "I meant to ask, why did you come up to our stand at the activities fair if you can't sing?"  
"I just wanted an excuse to talk to you," Beca said and watched as Chloe smiled, evidently content with her answer. "Well, now that you're home safe I guess I'll see you around," she said and walked away to her dorm, still trying to quell the butterflies in her stomach.


	3. Chapter 3

**Trigger Warning: Self harm mentioned and described from this chapter onwards.**

"How was it?" Aubrey asked the second that her best friend walked through the door. The smile on Chloe's face was a good enough answer, as every ounce of smoothness and self-control that she had dissipated the second she left Beca's presence. She began squealing and jumping up and down saying, "It was so perfect! She's amazing!" Aubrey laughed and let her continue for a while before putting her hands on Chloe's shoulders and keeping her firmly on the floor. "Okay, breathe before you start bouncing off the walls." Chloe stayed still but couldn't shift the wide grin on her face. Eventually she calmed down enough to have a shower and get changed into her pyjamas, and then curled up on the sofa next to Aubrey with a hot chocolate.

As exhaustion finally began to take over, she finished her drink and rested her head on the blonde's shoulder. "What am I going to do, Aubrey?" she said softly with a sleepy voice. Aubrey wrapped her arm around Chloe's shoulders so that her head moved to rest on her chest, and she began to stroke the fiery waves of hair that had been tied into a loose bun. "When she realises I'm a basket case, she's going to run."  
"You don't know that. I know I had my reservations about her at first, but she doesn't seem like the type of girl to do that. And you're not a basket case, so stop saying that."  
"I am. Only a crazy person…" but before she could finish the sentence, tiredness won and sent her into a blissful sleep.

Several days passed before they saw each other again, but they made up for it two fold in the amount of texts that passed between them. The rain was pouring down loudly outside the windows as Beca walked into the shower room with her hair tied up and a bath robe wrapped snuggly around her, singing to herself a song that she had just been mixing. "You shout it loud, but I can't hear a word you say. I'm talking loud, not saying much." She hung up her robe, put her change of clothes on the bench and stepped into a stall, only vaguely aware that there was someone else in the room. "I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose. Fire away, fire away." Just before she could turn on the water, a noise behind her caught her attention. Someone was outside of the shower, scrambling around and muttering the occasional swear word.

Beca grabbed her unused towel and wrapped it around her body before pulling back the curtain and investigating the source of the noise. She felt the colour rise to her cheeks when she saw Chloe standing in nothing but her underwear, hurriedly putting on a pair of sweatpants but still leaving her top half completely exposed. Beca waited until she had pulled a long sleeved white top over her body before clearing her throat, making the girl jump out of her skin. "Crap! Beca, you scared me," she said, holding a hand to her chest.  
"Sorry, I didn't mean to. You seem like you're in a hurry…" Beca said, indirectly posing a question. Chloe nodded and picked up her towel and shower gel, anxious to get out and back to her apartment.

"The shower at my apartment is broken, so I had to come here. I just need to get back – Aubrey's making dinner and she'll kill me if I'm late," Chloe said and turned to leave, but Beca caught her by the arm and pulled her back. "Whoa, what's wrong?" she asked anxiously, releasing her grip in order to readjust the towel around her body. Before she could stop them, tears began to form in Chloe's eyes and she whispered so quietly that it was barely audible, "Please, just let me go home." Beca's heart broke as she heard the pain in her voice; the desperation of her tone and the way her voice faltered slightly on the last word. She was about to nod and let Chloe go when her gaze was drawn to a growing red mark appearing on her white sleeve, spreading slowly the wings of a butterfly stretching across a surface.

"Chloe, you're bleeding," she stated as calmly as she could manage, not wanting to scare her any more. "Let me see," she said, reaching out her hand slowly towards the older girl. Chloe flinched back at first and shook her head, but her protests were in vain as the concern in Beca's eyes was obvious. For the first time since she had met Aubrey, she allowed herself to give in and expose herself in the most vulnerable way possible as she watched Beca pick up her arm. The brunette slowly rolled up the sleeve and Chloe looked away, unable to make eye contact and see how Beca was reacting. "Look at me," the brunette said, and after a few seconds Chloe lifted her gaze to meet Beca's. "I don't think any less of you for doing this, okay? You don't ever have to hide this from me."

She gently stroked Chloe's arm with the pad of her thumb, and noticed the multitude of scars varying between shades of pink and white. She turned her attention to the vibrant red that was now dripping onto the floor and said, "Let me just pull some clothes on, and then I will fix this, okay?" Chloe nodded timidly, unable to break her silence. She waited patiently as Beca pulled on the t-shirt and shorts that she brought with her, staring intently at the new addition to her arm. This one wasn't a scratch; she could only just see the partition between the skin as her blood pooled around it and trailed to the bottom of her arm before dripping slowly off her baby finger. She held her arm at an angle so the blood would keep running, keep falling, and she was entranced by it. This was the blissful two minutes where it wouldn't hurt, and the only pain she felt was the ghost of the blade dragging across her skin.

The sensation of a damp cloth wiping over her arm made her jump as it jolted her back into reality. Beca had grabbed her washcloth and briefly ran it under the shower before wiping the blood away as tenderly as she could. She could feel Chloe physically trembling beneath her palms and she winced as Beca smoothed the cloth over the wound. "Hold my hand," she said, "Squeeze tight when it hurts." Even when it was relatively clean, she didn't let go of Chloe's hand. "Talk to me. It scares me when you're quiet," Beca asked worriedly.

Chloe let out a shaky breath and said, "You can sing." The brunette laughed and looked into her bright blue eyes. "Yes, I suppose I can."  
"Y-you have to audition for the Bellas."  
"If I audition, will you come back to my dorm so I can take care of this cut?"  
"I've been doing this for long enough to know how to take care of my own injuries."  
"Then I won't audition."  
Chloe thought for a moment, and then found herself submitting to the younger girl's request. Maybe Aubrey was right, and it was about time that she let someone else in.

They reached Beca's room and she quickly checked to see if Kimmy Jin was out as usual, and thankfully she was. Chloe was still pressing the washcloth to her arm as she sat down on Beca's bed, admiring the contents of her shelves. Most of her suitcases were still packed, and Beca flitted from bag to bag rummaging to the bottom until she pulled out a small green first aid kit. "Any reason why you have that?" Chloe asked curiously.  
"I used to be a girl scout. We were told to always be prepared."  
Chloe smirked but didn't complain; figuring that later would be the time to question her about it. Beca split open an antiseptic wipe and automatically held Chloe's hand, fully aware that this would hurt. As she wiped it over the wound she heard the sharp intake of breath and felt her fingers clamp together beneath Chloe's grip, encouraging her to finish as soon as possible.

"Are you okay?" she asked, feeling slightly helpless.  
"Mmhmm," Chloe nodded, "This is nothing. Try cleaning a cut with vodka – I thought I would pass out from the pain." Beca didn't know whether she should laugh, so instead she smiled weakly as she grabbed some skin closures from the first aid kit. "I can do this myself you know," Chloe said, "I've been doing it for long enough on my own and managed just fine." Beca simply ignored her and softly pulled the skin together as she placed a steri strip across it.

Three strips later, she was done. Chloe was about to move but Beca was squeezing a small blob of antiseptic cream onto her finger. "It's okay, you've already cleaned it," she said, but Beca insisted on lightly massaging the cream around the wound and the steri strips. "This will help sooth it so hopefully it won't be too irritable, and will reduce the redness around the cut." Chloe raised an eyebrow and looked inquisitively at Beca, curious as to how she would know that. Beca quickly glanced at her and saw that she needed to explain herself. "You're not the only one with a lot of experience in this field," she said nonchalantly hoping not to raise any more questions, but she had already sparked Chloe's concern.

"Have you-"  
"No," Beca quickly interrupted. "But my baby brother… he used to." A few moments of silence passed before she let out a short laugh and said, "He hates me calling him baby brother. There's five years between us so he's not exactly a baby any more, but I'm always going to call him that." Chloe smiled at the way that Beca's face lit up when she spoke about him. "Five years… so he must have started young if he's thirteen now," she said, hoping that she wasn't crossing a line by asking that.

"Yeah, he was," Beca replied, her smile gradually fading. "First time he ever did it was his eleventh birthday, when our parents split up."  
"But you used the past tense; you said that he used to do it. When did he stop?"  
"Shortly before his thirteenth birthday."  
"That's great," Chloe said trying her hardest not to feel jealous that he was actually able to find a way to stop, although she was pretty sure that Beca had something to do with it. "How did he manage it? How did he stop?"

There was a long silence and Chloe could see Beca focusing her gaze on the floor. Eventually she looked up and said flatly, "He just made it all stop." Her expression froze for a moment, but then as if the past few minutes hadn't even happened she smiled and said, "You're going to need to change those strips every day. Do you have some at home?"  
"Yeah, there are loads in my drawer," Chloe replied, still thinking about how Beca replied to the earlier question. Before she had time to ponder on it any longer an Asian student walked in, evidently Beca's roommate, and sat down at her desk.

Chloe hurriedly pulled down her sleeve even though the girl didn't even glance their way. "I should probably go," she said standing up from Beca's bed.  
"Are you sure you're going to be okay?"  
"I'll be fine, thank you. Now you can go and actually have your shower."  
Beca smiled, realising that she had forgotten all about it. She held Chloe's hands and pulled her close until their foreheads were resting against one another. "Look after yourself, okay?" she said, and waited for Chloe to nod. "Are you free tomorrow night?"  
"I think so, why?" Chloe replied.  
"Well, I've figured out a place to take you on a date," she said with a mischievous grin. "I'll pick you up at eight?"

"Sounds perfect," Chloe said and smiled. "I'll see you then." She turned and walked out of Beca's room, trying to sort through everything that was spinning around in her head and focus on the excitement and butterflies for tomorrow night.


	4. Chapter 4

**A.N: Sarah Kay is a real poet and I do not own any of her work. She is however amazing and you should all check her out on YouTube after reading this chapter, especially her poem "If I Should Have a Daughter".**

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All of the pre-date nerves and anxious butterflies vanished the second that Chloe reached out and joined her hand with Beca's. They began walking out of her apartment and towards the town centre when Beca spoke up, "I saw a poster saying that this poet was in town. I know you're majoring in English, so I kind of connected the two and though you might like it."  
"Which poet is it?" Chloe asked feeling elated at the thought that Beca remembered something like that. "Sarah Kay, I think. If you don't like it we can go somewhere else."  
"I've heard of her but never actually seen her live," Chloe replied, "It should be good though, people always say how great she is."

Beca breathed a secret sigh of relief, happy that she had chosen something that Chloe would enjoy. She didn't want to do the stereotypical dinner and a movie type date. After all, Chloe had already proved that she wasn't exactly into the most conventional dates either. Eventually they arrived at a building that hosted an intimate theatre setting and Beca handed over the two tickets that she had picked up earlier that day. It was only when they took their seats near the front of the stage that they realised they were still holding hands, and when Beca finally pulled away to get out her phone it felt strange, as though there was something important missing if they weren't connected. She laughed at a text before turning off her phone and then turned to Chloe to explain, "There's this guy, Jesse, who I'm working with at the radio station. He always sends me the worst jokes in the world, but at least they brighten up my Philosophy class."

"He sounds cool," Chloe replied, but before anymore could be said the house lights dimmed and a spotlight focused on the stage, wordlessly asking everyone to be silent. A student stood in front of the microphone and eagerly introduced Sarah Kay, a woman with tanned skin and beautiful dark hair who walked on the stage in such a manner that commanded everyone's focus. Chloe leant forward in her chair already captivated, but Beca had prepared to zone out for the evening. Poetry wasn't really her thing, but she figured that it was worth enduring for Chloe's sake. However, when Sarah began her first poem Beca couldn't help but listen. It wasn't the boring, typical Tennyson or Hardy that she had been forced to study in high school. This poem was actually interesting and worth listening to.

_"If I should have a daughter… Instead of "Mom", she's gonna call me "Point B." Because that way, she knows that no matter what happens, at least she can always find her way to me. And I'm going to paint the solar system on the back of her hands so that she has to learn the entire universe before she can say "Oh, I know that like the back of my hand." She's gonna learn that this life will hit you, hard, in the face, wait for you to get back up so it can kick you in the stomach. But getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air."_

Before long Beca was on the edge of her seat too, hanging on to every word that left her mouth. _"I want her to know that this world is made out of sugar. It can crumble so easily but don't be afraid to stick your tongue out and taste it."_

Chloe had heard good reviews about this poet, but actually seeing her live and hearing her perform her poems was completely different. One thing that particularly impressed her though was the enthusiasm that Beca clapped with at the end of every single poem. She had never pegged the brunette down for a literary fan, but on the other hand she never failed to be surprised by Beca in one way or another. Eventually the performance drew to a close and they left the theatre to find the street under a blanket of darkness except for the occasional metre of light that would spill out through the door.

"I don't want the night to end yet," Beca said, still on a high from the performance. "I mean, she was incredible. And that… that line where she says 'Your voice is small but don't ever stop singing,' it was awesome…" She stopped herself, embarrassed at the sudden uncharacteristic outburst of enjoying something other than music. "You're right, she was amazing," Chloe agreed, grinning at how adorable the younger girl was being and placed a kiss on her cheek. "There's a smoothie bar I know that will still be open, so let's go for a drink. Who said the night has to end yet anyway?" she said with a smirk, taking Beca's hand and pulling her across the street.

They walked down a back alley and along a street until they arrived at the bar on the corner of the road. It had a checked floor and different coloured stools, and neon lights shaped like fruit all around the walls. Chloe perched on a pink stool and held out a hand to help Beca up onto the yellow one adjacent to her just as a robust woman walked through the curtain and behind the counter. "Chloe! How have you been sweetheart?" she said, and a smile lit up on the redheads face.  
"I've been good thanks Leslie, how's things with you?"  
"Not too bad sweetheart. Who's your friend?"  
"Oh, this is Beca. We're on a date," she replied with confidence. Beca looked at the floor stiffly, unaccustomed to being so open like this. However, Leslie didn't seem to be bothered by the information one bit and said, "That's lovely dear, what can I get you two for a drink?"

As usual, Chloe ordered the Strawberry Berry Shake and Beca decided to try the Peach Fuzz. She smiled graciously at the woman and waited until she retreated to the other side of the diner to wipe down the tables before turning to Chloe. "Are we going to talk about what happened last night?" she asked carefully.  
"Do we have to?"  
Beca paused, not wanting to force her into an uncomfortable conversation but at the same time not wanting to ignore what she had seen. "Only if you want to, but I'm worried about you Chloe."  
They fell silent as Leslie returned behind the counter and asked Chloe how her studies were going. "They're going well, thank you. I've been given Jane Eyre to read so you'll probably see me in here a lot more."

After a few more minutes of catching up, Chloe finally said goodbye to Leslie and they took their drinks to go. "Sorry, I didn't expect to get into conversation with her," she said as they began the walk back to campus.  
"It's okay. You seem close," Beca replied.  
"We are. I found her bar in my first year, and I just kept going back. I like studying there, and Leslie's always interested in the books I have to read."  
"That's sweet. And her smoothies are _really_ good," Beca said and took another slurp of the peach drink. Chloe nodded in agreement and drank some more of her own drink before reaching out for Beca's hand, entwining their cold fingers together for both warmth and comfort.

Eventually they arrived back at Chloe's apartment and Aubrey was already in bed, intending to be well rested for Bellas auditions the next day. Beca sank into the sofa and willed herself to stay awake, suddenly regretting the previous night she chose to stay up and work on a mix. Chloe took her time before joining her because she knew that the conversation was coming. Eventually she sat down next to Beca with one leg tucked beneath her and their knees resting against each other. She bit down on her lip and couldn't make eye contact as she waited for Beca to speak first, until she realised that the younger girl was waiting for her to start the conversation.

"I… I don't know what to say. And that doesn't make any sense because when it comes to essays and schoolwork I have all the right words, but the second it becomes personal I don't know what to say." She took in a deep breath and felt reassured at the sight of Beca moving her hand to rest comfortingly on her knee. "I don't know where to start, so what do you want to know?"  
"I just want to know that you're okay. I'm not expecting you to change overnight and suddenly see rainbows and sunshine every day, but you gotta call me when things get hard. Or talk to Aubrey, but whatever you do don't close yourself off."

Chloe sat quietly for a moment, wondering if she could make that promise. Things were going well with Beca and she didn't want to be a huge burden, or to finally trust someone and then get burned. "I don't know… I-"  
"You don't have to call me right away. Just do something to help. Write or hit something or listen to music, and then let me know that you're okay. Can you do that?"  
Again Chloe took her time before answering, but eventually she nodded and allowed herself a weak smile. "Thank you," she whispered, wishing for the second time that night that she was able to find all the right words to fully explain how she felt.

Beca wrapped her arm around Chloe's shoulders and pulled her close so that their bodies melted against one another, relaxing into the embrace. Chloe turned on the TV but shortly into the programme, she turned her head and found that she preferred watching Beca. "You're staring," the brunette said before turning her head as well, leaving their faces only inches apart. "I know," Chloe replied, glancing down at Beca's lips. Seconds passed that felt like minutes; both of them completely entranced by the other with no regard for time. Slowly but surely Chloe moved forwards, sealing the distance between them until her lips felt the warmth of Beca's. It started softly and tenderly, but as her tongue grazed against her lower lip it grew more passionate; hands raised to run through hair or to pull the other closer by the back of the neck, increasing the heat between them with every passing moment. In that moment with Beca's arms wrapped around her in an embrace, Chloe finally felt safe even though her defences were crumbling down.


	5. Chapter 5

**Trigger Warning for this chapter: descriptions of self harm.**

**AN: Thank you all so much for the response I've had for the previous chapters. I love getting your feedback because it honestly helps me write better.**

* * *

Beca had been getting texts all morning from Chloe reminding her to turn up to auditions, and by the seventh message she began to ignore them. She was just pulling a shirt on when her bed caught her eye and looked so appealing to return to with the soft duvet and comfy mattress, but she couldn't ignore the deal that she had made with Chloe. The auditions started in two minutes, meaning that even if she left now she would probably have to be one of the last ones on stage. She took one last look in the mirror and smoothed down her shirt before grabbing her phone and walking out the door.

Eventually she reached the auditorium and could hear voices resonating through the building as she headed backstage. There she met a guy with a seemingly passive aggressive attitude and he said, "You'll have to go next, you'll be the last person. What bars of Since You've Been Gone have you prepared?"  
"Wait… what?" Chloe hadn't mentioned that she had to prepare a specific song. Come to think of it, Beca didn't even have a song in mind in the first place. Before she had chance to protest Justin shoved her forwards, and she edged towards the right wing of the stage.

"Oh wait, there's one more," a familiar voice called out. Beca tentatively walked out onto the stage and was glad to see Chloe beaming a smile up at her. "I didn't know we had to prepare that song…" she confessed.  
"That's okay, just sing whatever you want," the redhead replied and could feel Aubrey stiffen beside her. Her best friend didn't exactly like breaking routine, especially when the Barden Bellas were involved. When Beca leant over and picked up Aubrey's cup of pens, Chloe genuinely feared that she would soon be dodging out of the way of another vomit rocket. She sat patiently and placed a calming hand on the blondes arm, once again intrigued by Beca and what she would come up with.

It was a trick that Beca had learned a while ago and she prayed that she would remember it right, so after a deep breath she turned the cup upside down and started to play it. "_I got my ticket for the long way round, two bottle of whiskey for the way. And I sure would like some sweet company and I'm leaving tomorrow, what do you say?_" She kept her eyes focused on the cup, not daring to look up for fear of having her nerves set on fire by Aubrey's gaze. Thankfully she made it through the first verse and chorus without a hitch, and decided not to try her luck by continuing the song any further. She looked up and smiled weakly, not waiting for any approval or signs of acceptance into the Bellas. She had turned up to the audition which is what Chloe wanted, but she had no intention whatsoever of actually joining the acapella group.

"Thanks," she said and stood up, leaving the auditorium without a moment's hesitation. Chloe couldn't shift the grin from her face, however when she looked to her left she noticed a very disgruntled look on Aubrey's face. "She took my cup, Chloe," the blonde said with a pout and a furrowed brow. "You'll get over it. We have to recruit her for the Bellas."  
"No!" Aubrey protested, "Did you not see her take my cup? Or are you too blinded by your infatuation for her?"  
"Forget the cup! Did she have a good voice, yes or no?"

After a long pause Aubrey managed to squeak out, "Yes." The word made her gag slightly and her hand flew over her mouth as she shut her eyes and took deep breaths, trying hard to calm down. "Would it help if I took you to dinner? We can go to that French restaurant you love and catch up," Chloe suggested in desperate attempts to avoid Aubrey's disgusting stress-reflex. She waited for the nod of approval before linking her arm through Aubrey's and pulling her away from Bumper and his crew.

They arrived at the restaurant soon after 7 o'clock and managed to get a table straight away thanks to the tip Chloe gave to the waiter. They scanned the menu despite already knowing their orders, which had never changed since they first came to the restaurant two years ago. "It's nice seeing you out, and eating," Aubrey said as they waited for the food. Chloe released a small smile before hiding behind her phone, knowing full well what Aubrey was implying.  
**Want to meet up after my shift at the radio station? I can come round for some sweet company.  
**She smirked at the text that had just arrived from Beca mimicking the lyrics from her audition before replying:  
**I'll bring the bottles of whiskey ;) x**

"Chloe, for serious I'm starting to worry about you," Aubrey's voice brought her back to reality. "Every year you get so involved with your studies and work your ass off in order to keep your parents happy. I'm fully supportive of that, but then you start working through lunch and dinner, and then you wake up so late that you miss breakfast as well." Chloe rolled her eyes and accused Aubrey of exaggerating, although she knew that there was a lot of truth in what she was saying. "You don't have to get all defensive Chlo, all I'm saying is that it's really nice to see you sitting in a restaurant and not surrounded by books for once."

Chloe reached across the table and lightly squeezed her friend's hand, which was her way of showing appreciation for how caring Aubrey had always been. The waiter arrived promptly with their meals and set them down on the table, and no more was said on the topic of studying. Instead they took to rigorously scanning the list of potential candidates for the Bellas, with Chloe being the voice of reason. If she had left it up to Aubrey, the only way they would recruit anyone new is if they all had some serious plastic surgery.

Once they had finished their meals and finally come to a decision about the new members Aubrey called for the cheque. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Chloe dip her head slightly and softly rub her temples whilst exhaling a deep breath. "Is everything okay?" she asked. Chloe snapped her head up and plastered on a fake smile, "It's great. The meal was lovely." Aubrey raised her eyebrow with a disbelieving look and sat sternly until the redhead gave an honest answer. "I just feel quite tired. I'm going to head home and get some rest," she said, and eventually Aubrey smiled to show her satisfaction with the answer. "Well I'm going to the auditorium to set up all the candles for tomorrow night, and then I'll probably start planning a training schedule and several data graphs on where we can improve. I'll be home late, but you call me if you need me any earlier, okay?"

"Okay," Chloe said, and genuinely meant it. They left some money on top of the bill for the waiter to collect and left the restaurant, reaching the end of the street before parting ways. The walk back to her apartment felt a lot longer than usual as dark thoughts began plaguing her mind and she could tell that it was a bad night. She unlocked the door and headed straight for her room to change into nothing more than underwear and a white vest top – her usual sleeping attire. However she wasn't tired yet, just numb and detached. She turned on some music and pulled out from beneath her mattress a rarely touched pack of cigarettes and a well-used matchbox.

From the matchbox she produced a small, sharp razor blade that glistened enticingly in the light and she rested it on her bed as she pulled out a cigarette, struck a match, and lit them both. With one hand she shook the match out whilst the other hand held the cigarette to her lips as she took a drag, shutting her eyes briefly in the guilty moment of bliss. Chucking the useless match on the floor and shoving the cigarette pack back beneath her mattress, she proceeded to pick up the blade. Her left ankle rested across her opposite knee and without pressing down, she traced the tip over the existing scars that ran vertically on the inside of her ankle where the leg joined the foot.

Taking another drag of the cigarette she pressed down on the blade and drew a new line, one that took a few moments to bleed. But because of where it was, gravity liked to help out with the blood circulation and so it wasn't long before a small red tide was running down her skin. She drew two more lines until she couldn't see the patch of scarred skin beneath the blood anymore, and as she stood up the crimson stripes ran down and pooled beneath her foot, leaving a bloody spot on the floor in their wake. Cautiously she tiptoed into the bathroom and grabbed a washcloth to put pressure on the wound, and ended up taping it around her ankle out of convenience.

A knock on the door disrupted her thoughts and she figured that Aubrey must be home already. She had been caught in this situation before by Aubrey, but right now she couldn't care less about one of her friend's lectures about smoking. She wandered over to the door and was only vaguely away of the blood seeping through the washcloth and staining her heel, leaving a red trail from the bathroom to the door. With the lit cigarette still in her hand she opened the front door, and was shocked to see someone a lot shorter than Aubrey and with darker hair.

"Oh my god, Beca I'm so sorry. I completely forgot you were coming over," she apologised, suddenly very aware of her current state. She reached over to a nearby chair and grabbed a hoodie to pull on that would at least cover the scars on her arms. She stubbed the cigarette out on the table and cringed when she saw the black ashy stain that it left, knowing that Aubrey would have forty fits over it. Beca took a few steps into the apartment before noticing the trail of blood that led right up to Chloe and saw the washcloth taped uselessly to her ankle. "Shit, Chloe sit down," she insisted, and tucked her hand under her arm to lead her imperatively over to the chair. "I can do this myself," Chloe said.

"Clearly you can't, at least not tonight," Beca replied and began to pull away the wet cloth. She went into the bathroom and threw it in the sink before grabbing something more substantial to help with the bleeding. "I like this song," she commented as she headed back towards Chloe, who had completely forgotten that she had turned the music on earlier. "Same," she muttered, not taking her eyes off Beca for one second. Eventually the bleeding stopped and Beca bandaged up her ankle, and all of a sudden tears began silently falling from Chloe's eyes. "I'm sorry," she whispered. Beca looked up and quickly put the final piece of tape around the bandage before kneeling up and holding Chloe's hands. "You have nothing to be sorry about," she said strongly.

"Yes I do. I told you I would try and stop but it happened again, and you came here expecting a good night but instead you have to look after me. I'm pathetic."  
"Look at me," Beca said as she wiped away a few tears from Chloe's cheeks, "It's not the falling down that's shameful, it's the staying down. It doesn't matter how long it takes you to recover or how many obstacles you have to overcome, as long as you keep trying then that is what is important, okay?"  
"Okay," Chloe quietly agreed, and leant down to place a tender kiss on Beca's forehead. "I love you," she said and the warmth of her breath left an imprint on Beca's skin. Before she had time to panic about what she had just admitted, she heard the gentle reply, "I love you too."


	6. Chapter 6

Three heavy knocks shook the door and Aubrey opened it as usual, not even bother telling Beca where she could find Chloe. Wordlessly she meandered back over to the sofa where she was busy planning the Bellas rehearsal schedule after their diabolical performance at ΣΒΘ the previous week. "Lay off on the cardio!" Beca suggested as she walked into the kitchen and began to make a coffee for herself and Chloe. It had become a slight routine after the past few weeks as Chloe was constantly studying or reading or writing a paper, so the only time they spent together was holed up in the redhead's room. Most of the time, they were able to talk whilst Chloe worked but if she was too busy Beca would bring her laptop just in case so they could at least work together.

Just before she lifted the mugs off the counter a voice called out from the sofa, "Try and get her to eat something will you? She hasn't touched any food since yesterday lunch when I practically forced it down her throat." Obediently and with concern, Beca raided the cupboards before grabbing a packet of biscuits to tuck under her arm as she carried the coffee through to Chloe's room. Her laptop hung clumsily in its bag draped across her shoulder and she opened the bedroom door awkwardly with her elbows, trying hard not to spill any of the hot liquid onto her clothes. She cautiously entered the room but her presence wasn't even acknowledged as Chloe poured all of her focus onto a thick textbook in front of her.

"Hey, do you want to take a break?" Beca asked, but was only answered with a noncommittal grunt. Sighing, she put down the mugs of coffee and sat down on the end of the bed – the only space that wasn't cluttered with books and paper. Chloe was sitting on her pillow with her legs crossed and was staring intently into metre long paragraphs of black letters protruding angrily on white paper. She looked paler than usual and had suitcases under her eyes, but she either didn't notice or didn't care. Her pink hoodie swamped her tiny frame and Beca reached out to place a hand on her leg, but Chloe flinched and jumped. Her head looked up at the contact, and Beca couldn't help but notice how much she looked like a frightened bird.

"Come on, you need to stop for a bit - even if just to eat and drink some coffee." Reluctantly, Chloe nodded and manoeuvred herself off the bed without disturbing any of the paperwork. She picked up the mug of coffee and began to warm her hands around it, which prompted Beca to realise just how cold she was. The window was wide open but as she moved to close it, Chloe stopped her and said, "Don't. It keeps me awake."  
"Well maybe you need some sleep."  
Chloe shook her head in disagreement but she didn't stop Beca when she reached for the window again and pulled it shut. The absence of the draft was noticeable as Beca walked over to the older girl and gently rested her hands on her waist. "You're working too hard. Come back to mine for tonight; we can relax, watch a movie, and just leave all this work behind."

For a few seconds it looked as though Chloe was about to shake her head again, but instead she just cast a glance back to the mountains of work on her bed. "My essay is due in tomorrow and I've only done two drafts," she said with uncertainty in her voice.  
"I'm sure that it's perfect already." After a few more moments of hesitation Beca continued more pleadingly, "Please, Chloe. You haven't been eating, you haven't been sleeping, and you've already finished the work! I promise you that you don't need to write any more, so please just come back to mine for the night. You can even bring the essay with you, but only so that we can go and submit it together in the morning."

The redhead bit down on her lower lip as she considered the offer. One more glance at her work made her open her mouth ready to refuse, but somehow the look in Beca's eyes prompted a single sound to leave her mouth: "Okay." She picked up her essay from the printer and cautiously looked round, frightened to leave. Beca reached out her hand and coaxed her forward, similar to the way that you would encourage a young child that it was safe to leave the playroom. Their fingers locked together and suddenly they were welded together, and Beca knew that it would stay that way for a while.

Aubrey looked on warily with a cocktail expression of shock and admiration trying to suppress the jealousy that she felt. Beca had been able to persuade Chloe in a matter of minutes whereas she had been unsuccessful for days, but she tried to stamp out the green-eyed monster with sheer relief that her best friend was leaving her cave of a room. A fleeting smile turned up the corners of her mouth ever so slightly as she looked at Beca, and the younger girl knew that was the extent of gratification she would receive. Nevertheless, she too was just grateful that Chloe was making progress outside of her bubble of work.

"Do you want pizza or Chinese?" she asked, gently tugging Chloe along the corridor.  
"It's okay, I'm not hungry."  
"Yes you are; you haven't eaten all day. We'll get Chinese, that way we can order a little bit of everything we like."  
Silence followed and Beca took in a deep breath, slightly worried of what the answer may be to her next question. "Chloe, why are you doing this?"  
"What do you mean?" Chloe knew perfectly well what she meant, but she needed more than anything to buy herself time to think of a way to answer the question tactfully.

"I know that you do this. I know that this… this excessive working and not eating is something that you do because Aubrey told me, but she didn't say why. So now I'm asking you, why?"  
"I don't know anymore. I started working like this in my first year for some reason, and ever since then it just became a habit. I know it's not good for me, but when it comes to college you get to choose between your health and your grades. I choose my grades every time."

Beca nodded understandingly and changed topic as they headed into the takeout restaurant, not wanting to make Chloe uncomfortable by dwelling on the subject. They placed their usual orders and were out of there with bags of steaming hot food just as the night began to push dusk out of the sky. Beca was carrying all the food in her left hand seeing as her right was occupied by Chloe's and the redhead was using her free hand to clutch tightly onto her essay. Small talk filled the air all the way up to Beca's apartment, but she could sense the tone of tiredness in Chloe's voice. Unfortunately as she opened the door, she was greeted with the sight that she had been praying for the past ten minutes not to see.

"Kimmy Jin, get out," she said bluntly, fed up of her roommate who only ever turned up when she was least wanted.  
"Nope."  
"Get the fuck out, or I'll tell the whole Korean Society that you're actually from China." The antisocial girl drew her eyes away from her laptop and made a weak attempt at staring Beca down before saying, "You wouldn't." The tiny brunette responded by folding her arms and raising one eyebrow, and it seemed to work as within seconds Kimmy Jin stood up with a heavy sigh and walked begrudgingly out the room.

She couldn't help but smile proudly as she led Chloe onto the bed and set up her laptop to watch a movie. "Can we watch Pretty Woman?" Chloe asked softly, and Beca handed over her laptop with a nod whilst she began to get the food out of the bag. She watched as the older girl's fingers shook with the slightest tremor as she found the film that Beca had already downloaded for a movie night months ago, the film that Beca fell asleep half an hour before the end. They both shuffled back on the bed until they were leaning against the wall; the laptop situated in between them and cartons of Chinese surrounding their legs. Several times Beca had caught Chloe glancing over her essay until eventually she put it out of sight in her draw. She just wished that she could help put it out of Chloe's mind as well.

"I didn't tell you the truth," Chloe said unexpectedly.  
"What?"  
"Earlier, when you asked me why I do this I didn't tell you the truth. Well, I kind of did because everything I said is true, but I didn't tell you everything."  
"If you don't want to then honestly, you don't-"  
"I want to. Look at you – you're sitting here with me making sure I eat and sleep because I'm too stubborn to do it myself. You deserve to know." She shifted slightly and moved her hand so it rested lightly yet reassuringly against Beca's before continuing, "You saw what my mom is like. I hate her; I hate the pressure that she puts on me. But at the same time, I constantly feel like I need to impress her. Like the ounce of love that she has for me only shows when I've done well, not just in school but in everything. So I work hard and I don't sleep, and I skip meals not only so I can keep working but also because hunger feels like another success to me. If I'm hungry then I haven't given into food, which is a strange sort of victory. Plus this way, not only does she get a smart daughter but she gets a pretty one too."

Beca sighed and tucked two fingers beneath Chloe's chin to draw her head up to make eye contact. "I know she's you're mom and I don't want to be rude… but fuck what she thinks. You are beautiful, Chloe. And you are the smartest person that I know. Intelligence isn't always measured by what grades you get in life, and your mom is stupid to think that it is. Sure you should work hard in college but don't drive yourself to the point of exhaustion for the sake of your mother. Work hard because you want to and not for anyone else, okay?" There was a brief pause, but eventually Chloe nodded and leant over to place a grateful kiss on Beca's lips. "Thank you," she whispered against her lips before resting her head on her shoulder, settling down to continue watching the film.

Julia Roberts had just finished shopping for new, stunning clothes when Chloe's eyes began to drift shut despite her stomach still rumbling. She had managed to eat a few bites of her plain noodles before getting distracted by the film. "Babe, wake up," Beca said with a soft prod into her side. "I know you're tired but just finish eating and I promise I will let you sleep."  
"Mmm…tired…"  
"I know. And I'm probably a bitch for keeping you awake but just get a couple more spring rolls in you and I will leave you alone."  
Eventually Chloe's eyes strained open as if they were lifting heavyweights and to compensate for keeping her awake, Beca broke off an end of a spring roll and lifted it to the redheads pale lips. Even chewing was an effort, but having it fed to her seemed to help and soon Chloe had swallowed down two more spring rolls.

Without a moment's hesitation she moved over and wrapped an arm around Beca's waist, pulling them both down to lay their heads on the pillow. Empty cartons fell to the floor and Beca strained her arms to carefully manoeuvre the remaining food and her laptop down by the side of her bed to prevent it from being tumbled into a broken heap. She wrapped a protective arm around Chloe and placed a soft, tender kiss against her forehead, wondering if she ever would get to see the end of Pretty Woman.


	7. Chapter 7

It was almost midday when an absence of warmth beside her dragged Beca out of her sleep and she looked up to see Chloe already sitting at her desk. "Mm… It's early…" the brunette mumbled when she saw the clock on her roommate's desk showing 11am. "I know, go back to sleep," Chloe replied, silently praying that she could spend an extra hour on her essay. She cursed when she heard movement from the bed and waited as Beca walked over to her side. Thankfully, instead of a scolding she received a kiss on her cheek and the brunette walked away to get some clothes from her wardrobe. "I'm going to run out and get some breakfast, do you want some?"  
Chloe hesitated and then said, "Sure," and directed a smile in Beca's direction.

Beca pulled on her shoes and nodded before picking up her purse and heading outside towards the shops. As the cold air whipped around her arms she regretted not grabbing a jacket and picked up the pace as she walked. The convenience store was only a five minute walk away, but Beca kept going for another ten minutes until she reached a quaint little café on the corner. When she had seen Chloe sitting at the desk already at work, she figured that it would only be counterproductive to pull the redhead away from the work that was pushing her to such extreme lengths. It would only be for another hour or so, and Beca figured that it would be easier getting the girl to eat than it would be to stop working.

She left the café and tried to walk as fast as possible without spilling the hot chocolates that she was holding whilst balancing a bag of two croissants in her arm. A short while later she arrived back at the dorm room and kicked the door twice to knock, realising that she had left her keys at home. Chloe opened the door and instantly returned back to the position that she had been in: hunched over her book and scanning it for more quotes to use and analyse. Realising that she wouldn't get much out of her girlfriend for the next hour, Beca sat down on her bed next to the desk and placed her purchases on the small free space on the table.

She took off the lid to the hot chocolate and broke off a piece of croissant before dipping it in the liquid, then leant forward to her girlfriend's mouth. "Open," she instructed, and Chloe looked at her briefly before allowing the food to be placed in her mouth. She smiled gratefully before turning back to her work, and continued to be fed until there was nothing left but the hot chocolate by itself. Beca had been eating her own breakfast in between feeding Chloe, and she picked up both of the drinks before saying, "Come on, let's go hand your essay in. We can drink these on the way."

It took a while for Chloe to stop proof-reading her work as they walked along and actually drink the hot chocolate, but eventually they arrived at her professor's office and she had no choice but to give it in. "Ah Chloe," the dark haired man said as he looked up from his desk. "Let me guess; the introduction is shorter than you would like and you feel like you overused the word onomatopoeia again because there aren't many strong alternatives?" The redhead smirked at how well her professor knew her but proceeded to correct him, "Close. The introduction is shorter than I would like but I think I spent too much time on the connotations of the food at the buffet, and not enough about the juxtaposition of chapters six and seven.

He nodded once as if to say, "Of course, how silly of me not to realise." Noticing the small brunette standing in the doorway of his office, he peered over his glasses at Beca and beckoned her over. "And you are?"  
"Beca Mitchell, I'm Chloe's girlfriend. And I have no idea what either of you just said," she confessed with a smile.  
"Is that so? I take it you're not an English student then?"  
"No sir, I'm in Philosophy but my heart lies with Music Technology."  
"Ah, both of which were never my forte in school. Well I wish you the best with them, Miss Beca Mitchell, and I trust you look after my eager student. She likes to throw herself in at the deep end," he said with a coy smile.  
"I'll be sure to take care of her," Beca said, and allowed Chloe to lead her out of the room after saying goodbye to the man.

"He seems lovely," she said when they were far enough away from the office that there was no risk of being overheard. "He is," Chloe replied with a smile. "Some days he's completely mad and literally runs around the tables, but at least it makes class interesting."  
"I'm pretty sure my philosophy teacher is going to either fall asleep or drop dead any time soon, he's_ that_ boring and motionless."  
"Mr S is cool. He's started to go grey but he's only in his late thirties."  
"If I didn't know any better I'd say you have a crush on him," Beca said with a teasing wink.  
"Ew! Gross! He's more like a cool uncle than anything else. But I will admit that I'm kind of in love with his mind."  
"Who wouldn't be?"

They dragged their butts to Bella rehearsals and received a scolding from Aubrey for being ten minutes late. Thankfully before the blonde could start to list off the benefits of punctuality, Fat Amy walked in fifteen minutes late and took the spotlight away from the two girls. "Do you want to come with me to Leslie's smoothie place after rehearsal?" Chloe whispered into Beca's ear, cautious not to incur the wrath of her best friend again. "Sure," Beca replied with a smile, but the glee was short lived as Aubrey spun around and began barking orders to stand over here and then spin over there.

Many twists and turns later, they were finally released with promises of aching limbs in the morning. Slowly the two girls headed over to Leslie's bar and ordered their usual drinks, and after a quick catch-up with the owner they wandered to a table by the window. The day had started to warm up and after the gruelling cardio session, Beca's blood was pumping around her body. She pushed up the sleeves of her shirt and Chloe noticed a small tattoo that had caught her eye before on the younger girl's arm. "What's the story?" she asked, gesturing to the image.

"It's boring really, you don't want to know."  
"Let me guess; it was a drunken mistake on a Saturday night?"  
"Not quite," Beca replied with a weak smile and figured that it wouldn't hurt to explain the real reason behind the cricket on her arm. "My little brother – Noah, who I told you about before – he used to call me a cricket every time that I sang. I think he had a storybook about crickets singing, and he just liked constantly referring back to it."  
"That's sweet. When did you get it done?" Chloe asked and began running a finger up and down the slender green character.

Beca swallowed the lump in her throat as she took another sip of her smoothie, and then replied, "It was coming up to Noah's thirteenth birthday, and was only shortly before my eighteenth as well. I managed to find a place that didn't bother asking for ID, despite my childish height."  
"Why didn't you just wait a few months until you could get it legally?" Chloe said, aware that she could be stepping on risky territory.  
"I couldn't wait. He died on the Wednesday and his funeral was on the Saturday – I wanted to at least show it to him before they put him in a box for good."

Silence hung in the air as Beca played with the straw in her drink, and Chloe thought back to their previous conversation about her little brother. "He just made it all stop" Beca had said. It was a curious thing to say, but now it made sense. "I'm sorry," Chloe apologised, but the words didn't seem enough. Nevertheless, Beca shook her head as if to shake off any emotions that she was feeling and said, "It was hard to keep it quiet, especially from the newspapers. A thirteen year old killing himself isn't really a common occurrence in our town." Unsure of what to say or do, Chloe squeezed the younger girl's hand and pretended not to see the tears gathering in her eyes.

She took their empty glasses up to the counter in order to give Beca a few moments to compose herself, and then returned after a couple of minutes. "You ready to go?" she asked, and Beca nodded back brightly as if the previous conversation had never happened. Maybe some things were just easier to cope with if they weren't dwelled upon. They left the parlour and stepped out onto the street hand in hand, gradually making their way back to Chloe's apartment. When they arrived, they were pleasantly surprised to find the place empty and completely Aubrey-free. Both of them couldn't help but smile as the blonde had a habit of scoffing every time they went more than two feet closer to each other.

"Do you want to watch a film?" Beca asked, but Chloe shook her head. "Do you want some coffee?" Again, Chloe shook her head but this time she subconsciously bit down lightly on her lower lip as well. She took a step closer to Beca and slowly moved the brunette's jacket off her shoulders and threw it to the side. "I want you," she said so quietly that Beca thought she imagined it at first, but soon she was scooped up in Chloe's arms and their lips were pressed together in a mix of heat and passion. She tried to somehow wrap her legs around the older girl's body, but as long as they were still vertical it didn't seem to be possible.

Neither of them had the patience to wait until they reached the bedroom and so Chloe allowed herself to be lowered onto the floor, Beca in the most dominant position above her. She felt a knee press in between her legs, and her hands frantically searched for the hem of Beca's clothing in eager attempts to limit the amount of layers between them. First she pulled up the younger girls vest top to reveal a plain black bra that looked incredibly hot above her obvious hips, and she felt her own shirt been pulled eagerly away. Beca leant down and joined their lips together again, this time sliding her tongue against Chloe's only increasing the heat between them.

Their stomachs pressed together and Chloe craved for more skin to skin contact, prompting her to discard her own jeans and then Beca's. Meanwhile the younger girl made sure to dispose of both their bras and moved slow kisses down Chloe's neck before leaving hot imprints of her mouth on her breasts, enjoying the feel of the older girl heaving beneath her. Just when she thought she had Chloe exactly where she wanted her; the redhead flipped their positions so she was now on top and in charge. She kept her face close to Beca's and found reassurance in her loving cobalt eyes, as her fingers ran teasingly along the inside of Beca's thigh. The smaller girl's hips bucked slightly, silently begging to be touched and it didn't take long before Chloe gave into her demands.

After a while they lay there; chests heaving as their lungs gasped for breath until Beca eventually found the energy to say, "After that… and Aubrey's workout… I won't be able to move tomorrow." Chloe nodded in agreement, not feeling any shame in watching Beca's chest rise and fall as it glistened slightly with sweat. She couldn't help but lean over and place more tender kisses on her pale skin, entangling their legs together again. Beca seemed to willingly submit to the kisses at first, but her eyes were distracted by something in the distance. Chloe glanced up before kissing and pressing her tongue against her skin in an attempt to bring her attention back to their activities.

Beca took in another breath and tried to focus on her girlfriend as she could feel her mouth move lower and lower, but she couldn't help but notice how much the shadows beneath the tiny crack at the bottom of the front door looked like shoes. It was almost as if someone was standing outside, maybe not watching them but listening to their moans undulating through the air. "Chloe…" she cried out as the girl's tongue finally reached the heated spot between her legs again. Her back arched slightly and her head rolled back for a second, but as she lifted it back up and looked at the door, the shadows moved.

She jumped back and reached for something to clutch to her body with one hand whilst grabbing onto Chloe with the other. "Babe, what is it?" Chloe asked, suddenly panicking at her girlfriend's abrupt movement. "There was someone there. There was someone outside." Chloe swiftly turned around to look at the door before reaching up and grabbing the blanket from the back of the sofa, pulling it around both of their bodies. "Are you sure?"  
"Completely – I could see their feet beneath the door."

Dubiously, Chloe stood up and picked up her clothes before pulling them on. Beca did the same. "It's probably just some drunk perv from down the hall," Chloe said unsurely. Beca nodded with equal uncertainty as she pulled her jeans back on, wishing that she could stay at the apartment for the whole night. "I should probably go," she said, looking nervously at Chloe. "Are you sure? You can stay here if you want."  
"I'm covering Jesse's night shift at the studio, but thanks. I'm just going to head home and get changed before going over to the radio station."  
"Okay… but call me, okay?" Chloe said with urgency in her voice and placed a soft kiss against Beca's lips. "I will," the brunette replied, and smiled at the redhead before picking up her bag and cautiously heading out the door.

She glanced down the corridor and turned back into the room as she said with a joking smile, "You're right – just some perv from down the hall." Chloe smiled back, but both of them heard the slight weakness in Beca's voice. Nevertheless she shut the front door behind her and walked out of the apartment, trying to pick up the pace on her way back to her dorm room. For once, she actually couldn't wait to be back in the tiny room with the familiarity of Kimmy Jin sitting at her desk.

Determined to get home as soon as possible, she turned the corner with quickness in her pace and talked herself out of looking behind her. It felt like someone was following her, but only stupid girls in predictable horror films looked behind them. Baker Hall was only next door to Chloe's apartment block but Beca took the back entrance, not too keen on the idea of passing the stoners that seemed to gather most nights in the front hallway. She was walking along the path at the side of the building when someone overtook her, and it all seemed perfectly fine until the figure spun around and stopped directly in her path. Her heart rate quickened as she tried to see the person's face, but it was disguised so well by the blanket of night.

Beca opened her mouth and took one step back; preparing to break into a run but before she could move the figure stepped out of the shadows and into the light. The identity of the figure took her aback and she opened her mouth wider to shout, but soon it was covered by a heavy hand clad with leather. "Don't scream," the voice said, and her heart sank as her body jolted against the brick wall.


	8. Chapter 8

**Trigger warning for this chapter: rape**

Aubrey was heading back home from her yoga class with her purple mat tucked neatly beneath one arm when she heard a commotion from the side of Baker Hall. She hesitated and considered putting her head down to hurry back to her apartment, but the sound of a muffled scream forced her to linger. She reached into her bag and moved the pepper spray to the top so it was easy to grab, just in case she needed it. Cautiously she looked around before approaching the side of the building, and she had to suppress a gasp at the sight. A tiny girl was off the ground and pinned between a man and the cold, hard wall.

Without thinking she took a step forwards and a twigged cracked beneath her foot. The man jumped as he saw Aubrey standing there, and he dropped the small girl so suddenly that she crashed onto the floor. Hurriedly pulling up his trousers, he sprinted away. The girl on the floor curled up into a small ball and began to shake, sobbing and crying out in pain. Aubrey ran over to her side and crouched down, carefully putting a hand on the girls shoulder. At first she flinched, but then as she turned to face the blonde she realised that she was finally safe.

"Oh my god… Beca," Aubrey was beyond shocked, but she suddenly moved all emotions to the back of her mind as she focused on getting Beca to safety. Cautious about preserving some of Beca's dignity, Aubrey gently pulled her trousers back up and tried not to be phased by the blood. With one hand she dialled for an ambulance whilst saying to Beca, "I'm getting help; we can wait in my apartment." She couldn't tell whether the younger girl was shaking her head or just shaking in general, but before she had time to figure out which the operator came on the line.

Once the ambulance was on its way she eventually managed to sit Beca up, and she suggested calling Chloe. At that point it was obvious that she was definitely shaking her head, and Aubrey was taken aback. "She would want to know, Beca. She'll want to help."  
"N-no," Beca stuttered defiantly.  
"Okay, suit yourself. Can you walk?"  
Beca nodded her head weakly and struggled to her feet, putting most of her weight (which wasn't much) onto Aubrey who had her arm looped around her waist. They walked out front and waited minutes for the ambulance, hoping that the approaching sirens didn't attract too much attention.

By the time they arrived at the hospital, a police car was also on its way. A nurse shut the curtains to the cubical, separating Beca and Aubrey in order to do a rape kit. She took one step closer to Beca and the brunette flinched. "You want me to get your friend in here?" the young woman in blue scrubs asked. Beca nodded, and smiled weakly as Aubrey walked back into the cubical. She stood by Beca's head and held her hand the whole time, pretending not to care that the tiny trembling hand was cutting off her circulation.

"Okay, all done," the nurse said after taking the final photos. "The police will want to speak to you now."  
"Can't I just go home? I'm fine now."  
"They just want to take a statement, see if you saw anything," Aubrey said reassuringly. Before Beca could protest again, two police officers entered the cubical with notepads ready and pens poised in their hands. They asked a few standard questions and then one that Beca was dreading. "Did you see the man's face?"

She nodded meekly, but kept her lips firmly clamped. "Did you know him? Can you give us a name, or a description?" Beca looked at Aubrey with panic in her eyes and felt her breathing start to become shallow. Instinctively, Aubrey held her hand again and began rubbing her thumb across her palm. "You can tell them, they're safe," she soothed.  
"No one will know other than you?" Beca asked.  
"Me, the police officers, and whoever is in court when they nail that fucker," Aubrey said protectively. One of the police officers nodded in confirmation.

After a few moments, a small noise escaped Beca's lips. "Sorry, what was that ma'am?" the officer asked. She took in a deep breath and squeezed hard on Aubrey's hand before repeating, "I only… I only know him as Mr S." A lump appeared in Aubrey's throat which she tried to swallow, but instead came out the whisper, "Sandringham…"  
"Sand-what?" the tallest officer leant forwards trying to hear the name. Aubrey cleared her throat and focused her eyes on the floor. "Sandringham. He's my best friend's teacher…"  
"Go look up this Sandringham character," the tall one directed to his colleague before continuing to Beca, "Did he say anything to you?"

Tears brimmed in Beca's eyes and Aubrey genuinely feared that one of the bones in her hand would break any second, but she didn't care. "He said that he-" Beca began, but her free hand flew up to her mouth as if she were about to be sick. Eventually she continued through her fingers, "He said he was gonna fuck the gay right out of me." Her grip grew even tighter on Aubrey's hand and the colour had drained from her face. The officer couldn't tell from where he was standing, but Aubrey could see Beca's back rising and falling erratically as she struggled to breathe.

"I think that's enough. You have her details for later, now go away," Aubrey ordered. He lingered for a moment, but eventually turned away and walked out past the curtains. Within an instant Aubrey moved to sit on the hospital bed next to Beca and made sure their eyes were locked. "Breathe, okay Beca? Just breathe." After a while the brunette began breathing slightly more steadily and said through shaky breaths, "Please… don't tell Chloe."  
"Why not?"  
"She's got her own shit… doesn't need mine too."  
"Are you kidding me? Chlo will want to help you. And she deserves to know: he's her fucking teacher."

Beca sat for a moment, considering the possibility of not keeping everything a secret. "You tell her," she suggested. "You can break it to her better."  
"Do you want her to come to the hospital?"  
"No. Just please drive me home."  
"By home, you better mean our apartment. I don't want you sleeping alone tonight and I'm pretty sure Chloe won't either."

Once Beca was discharged it was nearing midnight and Aubrey rang for a taxi. She saw 4 missed calls from Chloe and sent her a quick text to let her know that she was on her way back. The taxi arrived shortly and Beca noticeably cowered behind Aubrey when the male driver stepped out to open the door for them, and they climbed in in silence. About five minutes passed before Aubrey noticed the tears running down Beca's cheeks, and she handed her a tissue. Beca wiped her face and rested her head against the cool window. "She's never going to want to touch me again."

"That's not true," Aubrey said, "She loves you. All she's going to want to do after this is hold you and not let you go." Beca didn't reply, and the rest of the journey was spent in silence. After a long journey, they eventually pulled up outside the apartment block. Beca sat there for a few moments, not willing to get out of the car until Aubrey walked around to her side and held her hand. Every step she took was obviously hesitant and she felt physically sick as they approached the front door. At the same time, she couldn't wait to sink into the comfort of her girlfriend's arms.

She clenched her jaw, fully preparing herself to hold it together until Aubrey had broken the news. They unlocked the door and stepped inside to find Chloe fast asleep on the sofa, the TV still blaring. "Babe wake up," Aubrey said, gently shaking the redhead's shoulder. Chloe began to stir and the sheer sound of her mumbling something as she woke brought tears to Beca's eyes. As she sat up and Aubrey explained quietly, "I have something to tell you," Beca couldn't be in the room any more. She walked silently into Chloe's bedroom and sank down in the corner, clutching her knees to her chest and grabbing onto one of Chloe's loose tops on the floor.

She waited anxiously, hearing voices from the other room but unable to distinguish individual words. Eventually the disgust in Chloe's voice pierced through the walls as she cried out, "Oh my god!" She choked out a few sobs before demanding, "Where is she? Beca! Beca!" Footsteps echoed across the apartment until they headed to the bedroom door and seconds later Chloe burst through, her eyes frantically searching for the smaller girl.

As her eyes finally rested on Beca they softened slightly, and she could have sworn that her heart was physically breaking as the brunette had never looked so young and small and fragile as she did in that moment. She slowly walked over and crouched next to her in the corner, not moving her eyes onto anything else even for a second. "I'm so sorry Beca," she said, tears blurring her vision and choking her throat.

Of all the words that she expected to leave the redheads mouth, sorry wasn't one of them. "Why are you sorry?"  
"I introduced him to you. I led him to you," Chloe said as if the answer was the most obvious thing in the world. "No. No," was all Beca managed to say as she pulled Chloe into a hug.  
"Are you okay?" Chloe mumbled into the crook of Beca's neck after a while.  
"I am now," she replied, pulling Chloe even closer. She took in a deep breath and inhaled every scent that reminded her of Chloe: the coconut shampoo that stood in the corner of her shower; the lingering particles of Chanel Nº 5 that was sprayed on her neck every morning; her natural scent that seemed to be a mixture of lilies and talcum powder.

An eternity passed before they pulled away, and even then they remained close so they were still touching. Almost subconsciously, Beca reached over and held Chloe's arm, and then began lightly stroking her scars with the pad of her thumb. "I've only done it once, you know. Since the last time you helped me, I've only done it once." A small smile found its way to Beca's face. She knew that it would be nearly impossible for Chloe to just stop altogether, so the fact that she had only done it once was beyond amazing.

"Am I ever going to forget this?" Beca whispered, thinking aloud rather than actually asking a question. Nevertheless, Chloe answered, "No, you're not. But you're going to do so many other things that are worth remembering and worth holding onto that soon it won't matter what you can and can't forget."  
"So are you," Beca said absently, "Your scars will all be stories one day that aren't even worth mentioning compared to all the other things you've achieved." The silence that followed was warm and comforting as they sat there, bathing in each other's presence.

"Can you read something to me?" Beca asked after a while.  
"What do you want me to read?"  
"Anything."  
Chloe reached up to her cabinet and pulled down a book that was teetering on the edge, opened it up, and began to read as Beca rested her head on her shoulder. "_It was a pleasure to burn. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed."_

**Disclaimer: That last line is not mine at all, it belongs to Ray Bradbury in the book Farenheit 451 which is an incredible book that I unfortunately do not own.**

**A.N: This is the penultimate chapter of Embrace and the last time you will see them as college students. I will be writing an epilogue of their life together after Barden.**


	9. EPILOGUE

**AN: I posted this earlier and have received a few reviews saying that it seems to end abruptly, which is fair enough. I am aware of this, but I felt like I had to give it some sort of conclusion before I went away. When I get back home (I'm going to Africa for two weeks) I will try and write a chapter to fill in the gap between this chapter and the last one, so please just enjoy this chapter for what it is for now. Thank you!**

* * *

Beca scraped her hair back into a ponytail before bending down and picking up one of the final boxes, trying to ignore the sun burning her back. She was in a white vest top and denim shorts but even that seemed like far too much clothing as she walked through the front door. "You know, you could help me if you want?" she suggested to Chloe who was wearing similar clothes but wasn't even breaking a sweat, probably because she hadn't lifted a single box. "I'm supervising!" she said innocently, and proceeded to 'help' by unpacking the kettle and plugging it in.

"Great idea, we could all use a steaming hot cup of coffee in this heat."  
"Baby I'm sorry. I'll help, I promise," Chloe said and walked over to take the box from Beca. "Where do you want this?" she asked, and Beca looked around for a space before pointing absently to a corner, and turned around to head back to the moving van. "Hey, wait a sec," Chloe called out and put the box down as quickly as possible before racing after Beca. She caught her by the hand and pulled her close, and then moved a stray hair behind her ear. "Stop stressing, okay? Everything is going perfectly. Sit down, and I'll get the rest of the boxes."

After a kiss of persuasion, Beca eventually sank down with her back against the largest box and hoped that their furniture would be delivered soon. A couple of minutes later Chloe staggered back in with the final two boxes stacked on top of one another, and they looked ready to fall. Beca leapt to her feet and caught one just in time before lowering it to the floor. Chloe smiled sheepishly and placed the other one on the floor as she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist. She knew that Beca would have to be on her tiptoes when she rested her head on Chloe's shoulder, and the redhead smirked.

"Are you okay?" she asked, spinning round so that their faces were inches apart.  
"I am now," Beca mumbled against her lips as she pulled Chloe closer for a kiss. Her hands rested on the small of her back as their bodies pressed together, until they were interrupted by the sound of a voice outside. They both pulled away abruptly and hurried out the back door into the garden with the same thought in their minds.

When they reached the source of the noise, they saw their new next door neighbour calling out from his side of the fence that separated the two gardens: "Kid! Hey, kid!"  
"Can I help you?" Chloe asked, her tone sounding harsh next to the considerate voice of the neighbour. "I didn't mean any harm," he replied honestly, "Can you hear the music from the ice cream truck? I was just trying to ask your little girl if she wanted an ice cream, you know, welcome her to the new house and all."  
"That's very kind of you," Beca said, extending her hand and introduced them both. "And this is our daughter, Bella."

The man introduced himself as Michael, and gestured to his wife, Angela, who was in the kitchen. He was in his mid-50's and had a warm smile, and the kind of eyes that you can trust. He held out his hand over the fence and pushed a couple of dollars into Beca's hand. "Here, give this to the girl to still get an ice cream – it parks two doors down. You've taught her well to ignore strangers."

Chloe smiled and felt bad for initially being sharp with the man. "She wasn't ignoring you," she explained, "Bella's deaf. She can sign but she's not yet got the hang of lip reading."  
"I'm sorry to hear that," Michael replied.  
"It's okay, ever since Beca told her about the deaf superhero called Echo, she's convinced that she's better than all of us."  
Michael laughed, and then watched in awe as Beca walked over to her daughter and starting signing with her. He had seen adults sign before but it was twice as impressive seeing a six year old use sign language so well.

They said goodbye and took Bella down to the ice cream truck where they all bought much needed ice creams before returning back to the floor of their new house to enjoy them. "I like it here," Bella signed with one hand whilst taking a big lick of her ice cream.  
"Do you? That's good," Chloe replied with a smile.

The day went on and eventually their furniture arrived, and Michael came over to help them get their sofa and beds in place whilst his wife brought over a lasagne that she had cooked for the three of them. They were all grateful to sit down for dinner, and soon it was time for Bella to go to bed and give Beca and Chloe a quiet evening to themselves. Chloe carried her upstairs and into her empty bedroom which contained nothing other than a small, pink bed. Just as she tucked the covers in around her daughter, Bella's arms wriggled out from beneath the sheet and her hands sleepily began to sign.

"Why do you have stripes on your arms mommy?"  
Chloe's breath caught in her throat and she made an effort to smile. "Because," she began to sign back, "When I was younger, I wasn't happy and didn't like myself very much. And some nights I would fight myself, and I came away with these stripes." She managed a small smile the whole time, but when her daughter's tiny hands picked up her arm and her tiny fingers began to trace the white scars on her skin the tears threatened to spill out her eyes. "I like you," Bella signed and Chloe laughed before saying thank you. "They make you look like a beautiful tiger," the young girl said as she stroked the white skin.

The biggest smile broke out on Chloe's face and she kissed her daughter lightly on the forehead. "Promise me you'll never give yourself tiger stripes though Bella," she signed with pleading eyes. "Why would I want to be a tiger? I'm a superhero," Bella replied proudly.  
"Yes you are," Chloe said with one last smile and stood up to walk out of the room. She took one final look at her daughter before turning the light off and pulling the door to a gentle close.


End file.
